Setting up Nighthawk R7000 as repeater to Orbi AC2200

[kpaxnet]

Hello,

         I recently upgraded to OrbiAC2200 (1+1) from my older Nighthawk R7000.

I am trying to setup my R7000 as a repeater to the Orbi.

I understand that I need to do the following

R7000

1. Repeater Mode

2. Disable Security/Encryption

3. Enter the MAC address of the Basestation (i.e Orbi router)

4. Set the IPAddress to 192.168.1.1

5. Select the channel to some x (making sure that Orbi is also transmitting on the same channel)

AC2200

1. Set a fixed channel instead 

2. From what i could reseach online. there is also a requirement to set Orbi as a Bridge?

though am not entirely sure of this part.

Could use some help with completing the setup.

[CrimpOn]

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@kpaxnet wrote:

I am trying to setup my R7000 as a repeater to the Orbi.

I understand that I need to do the following

R7000

1. Repeater Mode

2. Disable Security/Encryption

3. Enter the MAC address of the Basestation (i.e Orbi router)

4. Set the IPAddress to 192.168.1.1

5. Select the channel to some x (making sure that Orbi is also transmitting on the same channel)

AC2200

1. Set a fixed channel instead 

2. From what i could reseach online. there is also a requirement to set Orbi as a Bridge?

though am not entirely sure of this part.

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It would probably help if you can explain more about the end result being sought.  i.e. in a general description in words rather than a "mode name".  "I want to put the R7000 in (this part) of the house, connect it to the Orbi using (WiFi? ethernet cable?) and have devices in that part of the house (do what?)"

The Nighthawk R7000 User Guide explains how to set up an R7000 in three alternate modes starting on page 83. Bridge mode and repeater mode require an ethernet connection between the R7000 and the Orbi.  Access Point mode does not.

Orbi cannot be set up as a "bridge" No way.  No how.

[kpaxnet]

Ahh.. good point.

Essentially I am trying to increase the range of my Orbi router.

While I do have one satillite, which does increase the WiFi range quite a bit.

I still have a major dead zone right outside the garrage door (where I spend an inordinate amount of my time with my laptop working and yelling at the kids (aka multitasking) thx to covid -19.)

I would thus like to setup the R7000 as a repeater in the garrage,

so that I can get a better signal in and outside the garrage and work while watch the kids too.

[michaelkenward]

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@CrimpOn wrote:

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Bridge mode and repeater mode require an ethernet connection between the R7000 and the Orbi.  Access Point mode does not.

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Access Point mode does need a wired Ethernet link to a router. That's how AP mode works. By definition it is wired back to the router.

It does not help that the manual describes it as Use the Router as a Wireless Access Point. But it then goes on to say Use an Ethernet cable to connect the Internet port of this router to a LAN port on your existing router or gateway.

For a wireless link one option is Set Up the Router in Bridge Mode. The diagram in the manual shows how this works.

Another option is a Wireless Distribution System.This can use the R7000 as a source or "guest". Not all routers can deliver WDS. The R7000 does, while the R7000P does not.

As you will see from the diagrams Bridge mode and repeater mode do not require an ethernet connection.

If you can wire the R7000 to the satellite, then it can be in AP mode.

I have always found wireless links to be a pain to set up and manage. My solution to your quest is to reverse things around. I use an R7800 as the router and an Orbi as an AP. And I put the Orbi at the end of a Powerline Ethernet link.

You could do the same thing with the R7000 on Powerline from the router.

To be honest, the best solution to your quest is to buy another satellite for your Orbi system. Even if you use the R7000 at the far end of the chain, if you follow Netgear's instructions the wifi won't be on the same SSIDs, at least not if you want it to be reliable.